Monday, September 22, 2008

胸騒ぎをたのむよ


Today/tomorrow is the beginning of spring for people down under, and autumn for people up here.

I'm quite fixated on the issue of seasonal rotation and yearly sunlight fluctuation. This is partly due to the fact that I was raised on a country that sits squarely on the equator. Where else would you be told that there are a few towns in your country where you can enjoy a shadow-free phenomenon at noon twice a year? ;))

Since my body seems to time itself to sunrises and sunsets (thanks to growing up in Indonesia), I find time management on subtropical and temperate zones become a bit of a handful. If the sun rises at 7:30, how do I plan my activities so that I still get to uni by 9? If the sun sets at 9:30, then at end of term wouldn't sunset spell 'disaster' and 'time out'? What about being unceremoniously woken up at 4:30 by summer solstice?
(I once read that agrarian society in the Middle Ages relied on seasonal cycles to plan their time... then does it mean is my body clock quaint, outdated or what?)

And, by implication, I am perversely interested in getting a 'straight line' than runs north-south on this picture...


...because it would say that yes, the equinox daytime's length is approximately like that of a normal day in Jakarta.

Also, I notice that the speed of sunlight receding after autumn equinox increases. The speed of sunrise gaining pace, too, increases after spring equinox.

I like issues of equinoxes and solstices.

On a side note - I feel underdressed in the outfit below. Meet Mr. Black, my umbrella.


Sweatshirts and jersey outerwear aren't normally part of my ensemble - I'm so used to wearing jackets made out of woven fabric. Wearing a knitwear piece as outerwear, no matter how nicely luxurious it is, makes me feel slouchy and underdressed. Some of my contemporaries say there is nothing wrong with it, but it's just me being... conservative. Or up-tight. Or a stickler to dress codes.

Oh well, anyway... off to cookie-making.

2 comments:

Devi Girsang, MD said...

You've learnt Japanese too? :O

Anyway just want to drop a comment about your outfit; you look like a homeless hippie LOL. *no offense, it's just sooo not you!* :)

mukuge said...

I was out of my elements and didn't want to take off the blue cardigan/coat for fear of cold, hence the sloppy dressing standard.

and on the language, just learning a wee bit at a time...